The prior art is documented with various types of metronome devices, the objective in each instance being to provide some form of optical or acoustic display of tempo, phase, and the division of the phases of music pieces or movement rhythms. A first example of this is the metronome disclosed in Boxer, U.S. Pat. No. 7,432,433, and which teaches a housing (1) with a display for the optical display of a movement which describes a curve (3) similar to a parabola.
Means for controlling the display are further provided so that the optical movement oscillates with adjustable frequency and with additional means for the selective electrical generation of tones for acoustically marking the inflection points of the movement and for the selective further acoustic division of the time intervals between the inflection points of the movement. The display includes a row of discrete light sources (2), arranged along a curve (3) similar to a parabola. The light sources (2) may be controlled such as to generate a moving light which oscillates back and forth along the row of light sources with adjustable frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,794, to George, teaches a visual electronic metronome having a plurality of LED's arranged in a first V-shaped column and a second column extending downwardly from the topo of the V. The LED's are in turn so as to produce the appearance of a block of light moving along the V-shaped column and then down the second column until a leading edge of the block of light reaches the bottom of the column. At that point a strobe light produces a flash indicative of the intended beat. The user can thus observe the approach of the beat and meet it exactly preparing the muscles for playing the instrument according to the visually observed position of the block of light approaching the beat.
US 2014/0260905, to Lillard, discloses a tool for teaching the playing of a musical instrument and includes a control and signaling unit that instructs a student as to the proper time to strike the instrument. The control is configured to provide a series of signals, through a signaling unit, that denote a tempo for the music or beat, a warning that the time to strike the instrument is approaching, and a signal when it is time to strike the instrument in accordance with the beat or music.
In one designated variant, a signaling unit 20 includes a plurality of horizontal strips 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, and 21 d (collectively designated 21) each having eleven light emitting diode (LED) lights. In operation, the LED lights of signaling unit 20 illuminate and warn the student of the proper time to strike an instrument.
In one exemplary embodiment, all of the LED lights of a signaling unit 20 are the same color. The outermost lights 22 in a strip 21 blink the tempo of the beat. The inner lights 23 illuminate sequentially from the outermost lights inward to provide the student a warning to prepare to strike (hit) the instrument. Finally, the centermost light 24 illuminates, conveying to the student the appropriate time to strike the instrument.
In the exemplary embodiment, each strip conveys the striking time for a different beat, with the topmost strip 21 a conveying the first beat to strike on the instrument, the next-lower strip 21b conveying the second beat, strips 21c and 21d conveying the third and fourth beats respectively, and then returning to the topmost strip 21a for the fifth beat in the sequence. In a second exemplary embodiment, three different color LED lights, such as red, yellow, and green, are used for each lighting strip 21. In this embodiment the outermost lights 22 in strip 21 are red and denote tempo. The inner lights 23 are yellow to denote a warning of the approaching time to strike. Finally, the centermost light 24 is green to denote time to strike.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,089, to Marrash, teaches an electronically programmable metronome having a footswitch for allowing a user to adjust the tempo over a continuous range without taking hands off an instrument or interrupting playing. A microcontroller is pre-programmed with a metronome click pattern in any selected note duration value.
The user operates a footswitch to increase the tempo automatically in continuous increments and to hold a desired tempo. A digital pulse voltage source and acoustic pulse switch are responsive to control logic to produce different amplitudes and tones for three types of clicks, i.e., Loud, Medium, and Soft, in order to provide distinctly different audible click patterns.
Headphones, an audio speaker, and/or an LED indicator can be used to provide audible and visual cues of the tempo to the user. The metronome unit includes a display for menu selection, prompts, and visual cues for adjustment of the tempo and selection of types of clicks in a beat pattern. The microcontroller for the metronome unit can be programmed with any combination of time signatures, rhythms, or patterns with desired cues or accents.